I think the recent wet and then warm weather must have caused a population explosion – at least down here in the SW.

Worth checking yourself anyway. I’ve found at least one after every ride this week, and 3 after yesterday’s.

All have been around calf/knee height, so recently latched on one assumes.
Not like one full little bugger that I discovered last year that had made its way fully northward 😯

I thought this was going to be a thread about Industry 9 or Hope hubs…

Instead, I have a vision of a groin-dwelling tick that will haunt me in my nightmares.

I saw a video with ( i think )peppermint oil which looked effective.
Would shaved legs be a suitable precaution?

seen more ticks in a week than all last year.

Pointy tweezers, and a slow, but firm upwards pull. Just make sure they don’t leave their mouth parts behind. Definitely don’t squeeze em or they can regurgitate blood and other nasty stuff.

Yes, we’ve had a couple of early ones here in the South Downs too.
I’m using a tick twister. Slight pull up then twist. Works well.

Agree with you there Tom, i’ve been pulling a few out a ride for a couple of weeks.

I’ve got a couple of these at home and in the car for when needed.

http://www.otom.com/en/

Don’t think I’ve ever had one? Do we not get them in the North West / Peak District?

Another recommendation for the “tick twister” mentioned above. We get loads – not on us, but on the cat and this is by far the best way to get them out without either snapping them in half (bad) or squeezing them (very bad).

One other note – ticks are pretty much indestructable. Once removed, immerse in pure alcohol to kill ’em dead.

Horrible bloody things 🙁

Don’t think I’ve ever had one? Do we not get them in the North West / Peak District?

I’d always assumed you got them all over the UK. In fact this map shows the NW and Peaks as med-high risk….

tick map UK

Don’t think I’ve ever had one? Do we not get them in the North West / Peak District?

Anywhere you get deer or livestock you are likely to get them.

I’ve never had one either despite loads of rides in the hotspot areas. I live in a high risk area. Just back from south Wales and am I’m covered in midge bites. Are some people just not tasty?

One other note – ticks are pretty much indestructable. Once removed, immerse in pure alcohol to kill ’em dead.

I squash the one off our cats with a rock. But I put the ones off humans in a jar, just in case someone gets poorly so I can hand the bugger over if needed.

tick twister for the removal.

Smidge for the prevention.

I ride west of Scotland natural stuff, have had loads over the years, though very few since using Smidge. Had the Bulls Eye rash, fever etc after removing one a few yrs ago, followed by non-conclusive bloods and 4 weeks of antibiotics – been ok since.

Peppermint oil method has been poo poo’d by scientists. Something about them vomming all over you/the bite.

We have these little things

http://www.tickcard.co.uk/

Despite living near two parks with deer in them, which we visit often, neither of us have had to use one.

I’m using a tick twister. Slight pull up then twist. Works well.

Used one to get a tick off my left nipple but a blowtorch probably would’ve been less painful. 😥

Horrible bloody things

Too right! Do they actually serve a purpose, are they even in the food chain somewhere?

Might stick a tickcard in the wallet – thanks for the hint!

I saw a video with ( i think )peppermint oil which looked effective.
Would shaved legs be a suitable precaution?

No and no

Would shaved legs be a suitable precaution?

I wouldn’t bother. Their legs are tiny.

There’s no way one of them Tickcards is working on anything with fur, and I don’t get how just lifting the tick causes it to magically let go. The O’tom tick twisters I’ve got are perfect.